Key result
Documentation of social determinants of health-related Z codes in patients with hypertension was highest in Medicaid beneficiaries (3.02%) and associated with up to 1.85 times higher medical costs.
Why the study?
Tracking social needs can inform barriers to hypertension control, but no recent studies had examined ICD-10-CM SDOH-related Z codes specifically in patients with hypertension.
Are social determinants of health-related Z codes associated with higher medical expenditures and chronic conditions in patients with hypertension?
Population
146,484 patients with hypertension across commercial, Medicare Supplement, and Medicaid insurance
Comparison
Presence vs absence of documented social determinants of health-related Z codes (Z55-Z65)
Design
Retrospective observational study
Authors
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Z-code documentation flags higher-cost Medicaid patients with hypertension; leaves open whether routine SDOH screening improves outcomes or reduces expenditures.
Observational (n=146,484)
Are social determinants of health-related Z codes associated with higher medical expenditures and chronic conditions in patients with hypertension?
Although underreported, the presence of social determinants of health-related Z codes in patients with hypertension is associated with significantly higher medical expenditures and a greater burden of chronic conditions.
Lee et al. (2023) conducted an observational in Hypertension (n=146,484). Social determinants of health-related Z codes vs. No social determinants of health-related Z codes was evaluated on Annual documentation of social determinants of health-related Z codes and medical expenditures. Documentation of social determinants of health-related Z codes in patients with hypertension was highest in Medicaid beneficiaries (3.02%) and associated with up to 1.85 times higher medical costs.
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